It is well known for a flight actuator to include two mechanical load paths, one primary and the other secondary, with the latter intended to take up the load when the primary path has failed. In a typical prior art device, as shown in FIG. 1, when operating on the primary load path the loads are transmitted through a hollow ball or roller screw. The hollow screw houses a safety rod, also called a failsafe bar or tie bar, which is connected to the screw with a small amount of play. During normal operation of the screw, when the primary load path is working correctly, the secondary load path formed by this tie bar carries no load since there is no contact due to the small amount of play. However, in the event of a failure of the screw in the primary load path then the tie bar performs its failsafe function and ensures continuity of the transmission of loads by the actuator.
With reference to FIG. 1 a typical known flight control actuator of the trimmable horizontal stabiliser actuator (THSA) type includes a primary load path with a hollow screw 32 connected at its upper end to the aircraft via a Cardan joint system 24 joining with first aircraft structural elements S1. The primary load path further includes a nut assembly 25 mounted on the screw 32, and the nut assembly 25 is connected to the stabiliser 22 of the aircraft, this connection being achieved for example by another Cardan joint system 26.
As mentioned above, the secondary load path is provided by means of a tie bar 29 which is within the screw 32. The tie bar 29 is terminated at its upper end by a male portion, in this case taking the form of a spherical head 27, which is mounted within a female portion on a fastening piece 28, in this case taking the form of a recess 210. The fastening piece 28 is connected to the structure of the aircraft via second aircraft structural elements S2. The known system may also include some means for preventing motion of the nut assembly 25 relative to the screw 32 and/or for fixing the stabiliser 22/Cardan joint 26 in place when the primary load path fails. Thus, the lower attachment, of which the nut assembly 25 is a part, could also include secondary load path elements used when the primary load path fails.
In the example known upper attachment shown in FIG. 1 it will be understood that should the screw 32 fails then load can be carried by the secondary load path since movement of the spherical head 27 is restricted by the upper and lower shoulders of the recess 210. Consequently, the stabiliser 22 can either be safely held in a single position (in the case where the lower attachment locks in place) or in some prior art arrangements it might be permitted to continue normal movement should the tie bar 29 be connected with the screw 32 in such a way as to permit continued rotation of the screw 32 even after failure preventing it from carrying axial loads.
One possible arrangement for primary and secondary load paths in a THSA is shown in FIG. 2. A horizontal stabiliser 22 is connected by stabiliser arms and bushings to a nut assembly 25 which connects it to a screw 23. In this case the nut assembly 25 includes a gimbal assembly with primary gimbal trunnions and a gimbal ring connected to primary ball nut trunnions and a ball nut body, which is coupled via balls to the screw shaft of the screw 23. The nut assembly 25 forms the lower attachment of the actuator in the primary load path. At the upper end of the actuator a joint system such as a Cardan joint system 24 will typically include no back elements along with the primary load path gimbal, which is coupled to the aircraft structure. During normal use, without any failure, the loading for the actuator is carried via the primary path.
In the event of a failure of the primary path the loading is transferred to the secondary path. In this example at the lower attachment the horizontal stabiliser 22 is connected by the stabiliser arms and the bushings to a secondary load path lower attachment 35 comprising failsafe plates and transfer plates coupled via secondary nut trunnions and a secondary nut body to secondary nut threads which are joined to the thread of the screw 23 when the secondary load path is engaged. Typically the secondary nut threads would be arranged to lock with the threads of the screw 23 preventing movement of the horizontal stabiliser 22 when the secondary load path is engaged. From the lower attachment 35 the load in the secondary load path is transmitted via the screw 23 along the tie bar tube/rod 29 through the male end of the tie bar rod, which in this example is a tie bar sphere 27, and to the secondary load path upper attachment 20.
In this situation it will be understood that the horizontal stabiliser can be rigidly connected to the screw shaft 23 and through the tie bar tube 29 to the tie bar sphere 27 which is held by the upper attachment 20, and that therefore aerodynamic loading applied to the horizontal stabiliser during flight will result in dynamic loading on the connection between the tie bar sphere and the secondary upper attachment 20. It has been realised that this can result in undesirable “flutter” potentially causing degradation in aircraft performance and even a loss of control for the pilot.
Examples of the primary and secondary load paths are shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. The primary load path is shown in FIG. 3A, while the secondary load path is shown in FIG. 3B wherein the detour taken by the secondary load path through the lower attachment is evident.
Typically, the lower attachment includes a sheet plate which, when the primary load path is functioning normally, keeps the secondary load path unloaded. It achieves this by maintaining a clearance between the failsafe plates and the stabiliser arms and bushings. In the event of failure of the primary load path, the sheet plate breaks and allows loading of the secondary load path. Particularly, the breaking of the sheet plate results in the clearance between the failsafe plate and the bushings closing, and the failsafe plate then transfers load to the bushings and stabiliser arms. Therefore, the sheet plate is a complicated component.
Further, THSAs are typically fitted with a detection device to detect failure of the primary load path and loading of the secondary load path. The sheet plate must not interfere with the operation of the detection device.
Consequently, the manufacture of a sheet plate can be expensive, and it can be time-consuming to install correctly in the lower attachment.
A consequence of the existence of clearance between the failsafe plate and bushings is that there is play between the components. This can result in ‘flutter’ of the flight surface or backlash.